“Talk about your childhood wishes/You can even eat the dishes…” –“Candy Man” from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

It’s been a year and change since we first met local artisan chocolatier Chuck Siegel of Charles Chocolates. In that time, Siegel’s two-and-a-half-year-old business has bloomed both locally and nationally, and he has also realized a dream that’s been brewing for almost two decades. After opening his first permanent retail store in Emeryville on Valentine’s Day, Siegel celebrated its official grand opening this weekend with the completion of new café seating that overlooks a brand-new 6700 square foot candy kitchen.